Fish Hatchery Road businesses look forward to construction end

Traffic issues expected to clear up as road reconstruction wraps

Traffic will be flowing freely on all lanes of Fish Hatchery Road in the next week, if all goes according to plan.

Madison’s Transportation Department advertised July 12 as the final day for any disruptions on the overpass, but noted there could be lane closures on theBeltline below for painting until early August.

Engelhart's business manager Ross Busch has watched accidents and mass confusion from the store off of Greenway Cross. He has answered a number of calls from customers not able to find the store through the lane changes and rerouting.

“I think that now that it is going to be done, people will actually be able to focus on looking for stores and looking for where they're going as their final destination, rather than trying to see who's going to run into them,” Busch said.

Parkway Restaurant, just north of theBeltline ramps, has been front and center for some serious work at a nearby intersection. The owner’s son, Bardhyl Selimi, said the entrance to the restaurant was closed off for about a week.

Selimi said he’s glad to finally see things wrap up.

"Cars going this way, this way," Selimi said. "It was just a mess."

Selimi said all of the hassle has improved the roadway and will make his commute much smoother.

"It's a lot better now. More open, new concrete. Less bumps," Selimi explained.

After watching it and driving through it for what seems like years, Busch said it's hard to believe the project is coming to an end.

"Hopefully it does actually take place," Busch said. "It seems like it's been going on so long now that we're not sure there's ever going to be an end to it."

Fitchburg Mayor Shawn Pfaff said in a written statement, "We are pleased that the Fish Hatchery [Road] construction is nearly completed. It is our main gateway to Fitchburg with nearly 40,000 cars using this integral interchange every day, and it is essential to our [city] and region's economic vitality and future."

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's posted schedule, the latest interchange improvement project began June 2012.